[AT] Heading out to plow some snow

[Dean VP]

Dean,

Not to be a naysayer that 620 should start a little better than it did in
cold weather..  But I don't know how cold it was. On my 620 not only do I
need to find the choke's sweet spot but also the sweet spot for the
throttle.  I've started mine as low as 15 degrees and it just requires a
little more choke than warmer weather. The throttle sweet spot seems to be
on my 620 at about 40% throttle.   I usually try to start at full choke and
then back off to about half choke quite soon or I will flood it. Each
tractor has its own personality and the float setting can have a huge
influence on how much choking is needed. Some time when you have nothing
better to do you might check what the compression is on each cylinder when
cold.  But... it started and that is good. And it runs really good without
smoking. I didn't notice the non-dent muffler but I appreciate your
sensitivity to originality! :-)   I don't remember how many hours the 620
has on it and when it had its last overhaul.   I have found that my 620
starts much better if I work it hard for at least a half hour each time I
wake it up.  Parading and idling is a real enemy to good running antique
tractors. And getting them up to operating temperature for a while also
really helps.  The worst thing we do to our antique tractors is not work
them hard enough. I suspect you work the 620 more than most of us antique
tractor owners.  Some tractor users in the hotter climates have removed the
thermostat entirely.  That is not good the typical way we use antique
tractors. Back in Iowa where we had really cold weather we would throw a big
coat over the grill/nose to get the tractor to warm up faster. I remember
starting tractors when it was below zero but I don't remember even trying
when it got down to -40 degrees F which it did often in the 40's and 50's
winters in NW Iowa. 
In addition to that back blade you might keep an eye out for a JD 45 loader
with a snow bucket.  JD 45 loaders don't seem to demand a high price any
more  For snow work they are adequately built but they are not heavy enough
for dirt work or really heavy stuff.  Yes, I know wet snow can get really
heavy. A large percentage of the JD 45 Loaders have been abused so watch out
for damage and extra welding to repair damage.  Properly used they are a
very handy loader. I own two 45 loaders and one Du-All loader which is built
"hell for stout" but is really clumsy. If I'm going to be doing some really
heavy work I put it on one of the tractors but it is an absolute PITA to
mount.  The JD 45 is much easier to mount. Once I get some issues fixed on
my second 60 I suspect the DU-All loader will become permanently mounted on
it. It is just too much of a hassle to take on and off. 

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA 98290

It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6. 

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Dean Vinson
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2016 7:29 PM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: [AT] Heading out to plow some snow

We had three or four inches of wet snow today, nothing dramatic but enough
to slow things down and make a mess, and now it's clearing off and chilling
down toward the single digits for the next couple of days.   So I fired up
the 620 to plow the driveway before it gets all packed and frozen.   Sure is
fun to operate the old girl.

I took a little video of the cold start:  https://youtu.be/zk47cRfrWjQ .
(Dean VP, it's not especially noticeable in the video but that's a
non-dented muffler on the 620... :)

Dean Vinson
Saint Paris, Ohio







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